Gateways to good growth

A new breed of Western city is sprouting in scenic
areas, and the resulting population booms call for new planning
methods, say Jim Howe, Ed McMahon and Luther Propst in Balancing
Nature and Commerce in Gateway Communities. In tourist towns like
Pigeon Forge, Tenn., low-paying seasonal businesses have
overshadowed historical and natural attractions, driving residents
out. But growing Western towns have the opportunity to learn from
these misfortunes. Howe and the others claim that if enough people
get involved, economic development can enhance the quality of life
in a growing community. The book illustrates its claims with case
studies from places like Dubois, Wyo., and Tucson, Ariz. In Red
Lodge, Mont., a citizen-based task force developed affordable
"assisted living" for senior citizens, fought to keep the post
office in its downtown location and offset the creation of a
light-industrial park on the outskirts of town by encouraging
ranchers to develop conservation easements elsewhere. The 165-page
paperback, chock-full of photographs, costs $21.95 from Island
Press, 1718 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 300, Washington, D.C.
20009-1148 (202/232-7933). "Taffeta
Elliott